Saturday, August 30, 2014

So We Read On: How The Great
Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures by Maureen Corrigan (Little,
Brown and Company, September 2014)

A must read for any Gatsby fan, the NPR Fresh Air book critic demonstrates the staying power and continuous
appeal of a book many of us read in high school and offers a compelling
argument as to why Gatsby should be read over and over at different stages of
our life especially as most people read Gatsby
for the first time as a high school student. Corrigan submits that many first time readers
of Gatsby view it as a tragic lover
story when it is so much more than that: social and political commentary, a
nostalgic longing for the past, coupled with a dash of hard-boiled crime. Corrigan delves into Gatsby’s reception in 1925 (slow to catch on) and traces its trail
to part of the modern American cannon in the 1960’s. Corrigan’s enthusiasm for the book is
palpable; as she makes each new point, you can almost see her excitedly
teaching this in a classroom or talking with a friend over coffee. Corrigan not only reignites a reader’s enthusiasm
for Gatsby but may spark something to
go back and take a look at another fondly or not so fondly, remembered classic
from our school days. With bright, fresh
prose that is never pedantic, Maureen Corrigan shares her love for a book about
which many of us say “oh yeah, I read that in high school” but about which we
may remember, or know, so little.

Born to be a Yankee compiled from The New York Post (Harper Paperbacks, August 2014)

Some things, Joe DiMaggio, the Yankee Clipper, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson and the House
that Ruth built, are quintessentially Yankee…now add Derek Jeter to that
list. In fourth grade, Jeter told his
teacher in Michigan that he was going to play shortstop for the Yankees and
play it he has. Passed up by the Astros during the draft, Jeter has spent the
last two decades in Yankee pinstripes wearing #2, one of only a handful of
players who have played their entire career with one team. Fourteen of those years he played on the
American League team in the All-Star game; he won the American League Gold
Glove and Silver Slugger Award each five times and has been honored with
countless more accolades. This heavily illustrated
commemorative edition, compiled from the archives of The New York Post, chronicles Jeter’s career as a superstar
baseball player, a team player and a fan favorite as he prepares to bid
farewell to a career that has served him, and his teammates and fans, well.

Author:
Larry E. TiseStars:
1Review by: Book Worm 1Very dull
exploration of the Wright Brothers flights from 1905-1908. Turned what
could have been an exciting read into something of a sleep generator.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Author:
Audrey NiffeneggerStars:
5Review by: Marianne SA fascinating treatment of well-worn tropes of interstitial
fiction. Out late one night, a young woman stumbles across The Night
Bookmobile, which, curiously, only shelves books that she has read -- in
fact, every book she has ever read. It inspires
her to do things she has never thought about before. Told in a graphic
novel format.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Other Lessons from the Crematory
by Caitlin Doughty (Norton, September 2014)

Caitlin Doughty admits to always having had a, what some
might consider, unhealthy obsession with death.
Armed with a degree in Medieval History, and a somewhat morbid, often
irreverent, sense of humor, Caitlin began knocking on doors of funeral homes
applying for a job. With no experience
and no mortician’s license, it was hard going until Mike at Westwind Cremation
and Burial in San Francisco hands her a pink razor and instructs her to shave a
man before the family arrives for a private viewing prior to the man’s
cremation. Never having shaved a man,
dead or alive, Caitlin does her best and must have passed muster because she
was hired and began her career seeing to the final wishes, and disposition, of
people after their deaths. With
good-humor and some self-deprecation, Caitlin describes not only her first few
months learning the business, including the people (dead and alive) she met and
how they responded to death. She also
includes some self-reflection, how she became fascinated with death, how death
is viewed in our culture and offers some musings as to how we, as a society
might better deal with death, the death of our loved ones and our own impending
mortality. Caitlin tells her stories
respectfully and thoughtfully, not sugar-coating the process, but not
glamorizing or exploiting what can be one of the most private moments of a
life. Caitlin has since become a
licensed mortician and is the creator and host of the web series “Ask a
Mortician”. You don’t need to be
fascinated by death to enjoy this heartfelt, honest memoir.

Author:
David C. Robertson with Bill BreenStars:
2Review by: Miss LucyInteresting
story of LEGO's successful and failed innovations over the years. But
the book dragged on. I think the tale could have been told a lot more
succinctly.

Author:
Jack OlsenStars:
3Review by: JambobThis summer I visited the spectacular Glacier National Park
in Montana. This park has the breathtaking "Going to the Sun Road"
which is the opening scene in The Shining. In 1967 there was a
terrible double tragedy that occurred on the very same
night. Two teenage girls were mauled and killed by grizzly bears. This
book is no literary masterpiece. In fact there were times I felt the
dialogue unbelievable, but it does adequately describe a terrifying night
and the events that led up to it. This is a nonfiction
book outlining the way a National Park operated so carelessly prior to
these attacks. The almost "tripping over themselves" way they needed to
address the fatalities was pitiful. If you love visiting our national
treasures and hiking through any wilderness
I recommend reading this book. It does leave you with a sobering respect
for wildlife and distrust of official competence where your safety is
concerned. You are ultimately responsible so take precautions seriously when entering any wilderness!

Author:
Liane MoriartyStars:
5Review by: Kee ReadI really
enjoyed this book. I liked it better than her other book, The Husband's
Secret. She has great character development with great story lines too.
There is always a surprise ending with her books.

Author:
Monica Williams Murphy, M.D. & Kristian MurphyStars:
4Review by: Miss LucyA book about
end-of-life choices. It includes lots of stories to illustrate its
points. The last quarter of the book seemed to just repeat what was
already covered.

Author:
Kresley ColeStars:
4Review by: SaraswatiThis is book
15 of the Immortals after Dark series. It took me a little while to get
all my characters in order, but once I got with the program it was a
nice read. This is the story of Thronos and
Melanthe. Like Romeo and Juliet they met and fell in love as their
families were at war. The war separated them for a long time and now
they are forced together to work their way through a series of events
being directed by those creating an end of the world
scenario. Another easy summer read.

Author:
Sylvia DayStars:
3Review by: SaraswatiOnce again
there are two books in one. Both were published as part of the Cosmo
Red-Hot Reads series. The stories are continuous as soon as one
finishes the other picks right up. This is about a woman
trying to make it big in the food industry. Her family owns a
restaurant but with a bunch of older brothers, she wants to find her own
way. She meets up with mover and shaker in the industry and gets the
job of her dreams. The dream gets shattered when a
blast from her past shows up and derails a key business plan. Their
feelings for each other get reignited and off the story goes. Another
easy summer read.

Author:
Jane KirkpatrickStars:
2Review by: SmudgeA family
history of an early woman photographer. The author could have edited
out 75 pages of love story angst and included more about early
photography and women photographers.

Author:
Laline PaullStars:
3.5Review by: BookDancerSomewhat
repelling, yet strangely fascinating fictional depiction of the inner
workings of a beehive as recounted by one of the lowliest members of the
hive. At times it contained heavy-handed social
and religious analogies to human behavior, yet I couldn't put it down.
Besides Night Circus, the most unusual read of the summer for me.

Author:
Glenn BeckStars:
3Review by: BusyMomThe wife in an
abusive marriage decides to help a friend from the past while hiding it
from her husband. She also comes to understand her father's behavior
when she was a child and had an alcoholic
mother raising her.

Author:
Mitch AlbomStars:
5Review by: BusyMomWhen Eddie
dies at the start of the story, he meets 5 people from different walks
of his life who make him realize his life was worthwhile and something
to be proud of. Despite his personal disappointments,
he was exactly where he was supposed to be and the things that happened
to him really WERE for the best. What a terrific book!!

Author:
Louis BegleyStars:
3Review by: BusyMomInteresting
accounts of the disintegration of a marriage uncovered by a life-long
friend who is looking to understand a passing comment from the ex-wife.
Great insights into the hierarchy of the American
Class system.

Author:
Bruce FifeStars:
3Review by: Mary NKOne must be
skeptical at the word "miracle". However, in light of the growing body
of research revealing that fats, even Sat.Fats, are not the poisons we
were led to believe; this scientific explanation
is a good start on restructuring one's culinary habits.

Author:
Mark TwainStars:
4Review by: Mary NKObservationist
extraordinaire Twain reveals the inner thoughts of our first ancestors,
from before their meeting until after "the fall". For taciturn,
practical Adam and nature-loving, expressive Eve
it is not love at first sight.

Author:
John KatzStars:
3Review by: Mary NKA great
recorded book with an excellent reader. Each story is complete (good for
short commutes) and reveals the author's quiet satisfaction in a growing,
eclectic collection of farm animals. NJ native
Katz expresses humor & respect for his fellow farmers & other
Vermonters.

Author:
Jessica Fletcher & Donald BainStars:
3Review by: JambobA fun, light,
cozy read. The action takes place on a movie set in Cabot Cove based on a
book Jessica wrote, but inspired by "true" events that took place years
ago and never adequately resolved. Jessica
tackles both mysteries with her typical aplomb. Favorite characters such
as Mort, the police chief, and Seth, the doctor, are part of the story.

Author:
Ken FollettStars:
4Review by: Need to ReadPillars of the Earth was a good read, but really long! I really find all of Follett's
detail incredibly interesting. I am impressed by how much time and
effort he must put into his research--from
the building of the cathedrals to the types of garments worn by all the
types of characters, to the weaponry and building tools, even the types
and descriptions of the horses. Then, of course, the story itself.
Worth reading or listening to on CD as I did.

Author:
Nicholas SparksStars:
4Review by: Need to ReadDear John is a
really good read, interesting characters. It was interesting to read
how the characters interacted and how their relationships changed and
grew throughout the book. It describes how people
cope with their individual difficulties. Overall, it is a love story
filled with joy and sadness and acceptance.

Author:
Arthur L. Costa & Bena KallickStars:
4.5Review by: SaraswatiThis was a
rather easy read for a text book. This book focuses on assessments, as
the title suggests, what they are, what they mean, and what a teacher can
do. The methods described are based on what
I was taught as the scientific method. Questions - formulate an answer -
etc... The big key to both this and the scientific method is re-evaluate
after you complete your task. In the text it is self-reflecting. I
think this is just a great life lesson. The text
contains a lot of sample handouts, grids, etc. This is a good reference
for teachers that want to make a difference.

Author:
Maurice GibbonsStars:
5Review by: SaraswatiA great
teaching reference for those teachers that want to break out of the
industrial age model. There are many practical examples and guidelines
to create a self-directed learning environment. The
text also lets you know that it's OK to have a combo environment and
that things take time to implement.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

With four well-received novels under her belt Christina
Baker Kline stormed onto best-seller lists and into the hearts of book groups
everywhere with her 2013 surprise best-seller Orphan Train. Four of her
earlier novels are being reprinted and repackaged this summer for readers who
missed her marvelous prose and characterization the first time around.

In Sweet Water,
Cassie Simon is trying to earn a living in New York City as an artist. Growing up in Massachusetts after the death
of her mother, Cassie had very little contact with her maternal grandparents
which is why she is shocked to receive a phone call from a magistrate in
Tennessee requesting her presence at the reading of her grandfather’s
will. She can’t imagine what Armory
Clyde might have left her or why, and is very shocked to learn it is not only
sixty acres in Sweetwater, Tennessee, but sixty acres that her grandfather
could probably have sold several times over the years to developers, making
Cassie curious about the man she never knew and his reasons for not selling the
land, deciding to leave it to her instead.
Taking her inheritance as a sign, of what she’s not quite sure, Cassie
decides to move to the small Southern town from where her mother, aunt and
uncle came, and the place of her mother’s death. Not quite sure what she is looking for or
hoping to gain from her move, Cassie is overcome with the emotions, memories
and stories that await her in a place where she’ll learn about a mother she
never knew and more about herself than she would have ever thought
possible. Told from two points of view,
Cassie and an omniscient narrator adds depth and perspective to Cassie’s story
and prevents her from appearing too self-absorbed.

Desire Lines begins
on the night of Kathryn Campbell’s high school graduation when she and her four
best friends sit around a bonfire reliving their past, planning and looking
forward to their future, a future none of them can imagine will not include
Jennifer Pelletier. As the bonfire fades
away, so does Jennifer, walking off into the woods, never to be seen again by
her friends. Once almost sisters,
Kathryn felt Jennifer withdrawing over their senior year, but she was never
able to pinpoint what was happening to her friend and spends the next ten years
missing Jennifer, wondering what happened and what Kathryn might have been able
to do to help her. After a failed
marriage, Kathryn returns to their hometown of Maine, hoping that by going back
to where it all began to fall apart she will be able to piece together what
happened and find peace for herself and maybe too for Jennifer. As Kathryn
revisits her past, she finds herself taking stock of not only her relationship
with Jennifer, but with their other friends and her own family, thinking about
her future, one that she knows will not include Jennifer, but can be anything
she wants.

Baker Kline fills her novels with characters that stay with
us long after we have turned the last page.
She writes about memories, the truth we find in them, the truth we tell
ourselves and how memories can haunt and even cripple our daily lives if we
allow them to. She reminds us of the
redemptive power of forgiveness, but only if we can forgive ourselves
first. Readers who only just discovered her last year
will be pleased to have her older works readily available as they wait to see
what she creates for us next.

Alma Terrebonne is the only one of her siblings who left
their hometown of Billings, Montana but as she quickly learns, you can never
really escape your family, nor they you.
Alma is practicing law in a successful firm in Seattle, about to make
partner, when she gets a call that her sister Vicky is dead and her
eleven-year-old niece Brittany is staying with her great-aunt and uncle until permanent
arrangements can be made for her. Alma,
who has been estranged with her sister for several years, does not hesitate in
taking the next flight out, identifying and claiming her sister, making
preparations for a funeral. When Alma
arrives in Billings she hesitates to accept the claim that her sister’s death
was accidental, due to being drunk or high, falling outside in the bitter cold,
hitting her head and freezing. The more
time Alma spends in her hometown, the less provincial it seems and the less
real her life in Seattle feels, making her reassess her choices, making her
feel responsible for the siblings that survived the car crash that killed their
parents when Alma was a teenager.
Stories that need to be told and secrets that need to be revealed slowly
emerge, Alma more broken than she would admit to herself realizes home, with
everything and everyone from which she ran away, may be the place she needs the
most in order to heal. A visceral
atmosphere of longing, wanting, false prophets giving false hope and the need
for redemption where it may not be possible but must instead be overlooked to
go on, gives this book the haunting feel of a novel set in the deep, gothic
South. The Home Place is a well-assured debut from a writer with much
promise.

The Footloose American: Following the Hunter S. Thompson Trail
Across South America by Brian Kevin (Broadway Books, 2014)

Just over fifty years ago, journalist Hunter S. Thompson embarked
on, and completed, a yearlong trek across South America, the then unknown
journalist sending back reports to a relatively new newspaper National Observer, in the manner of what
today would most likely have been a blog.
I routinely read acknowledgements and author’s notes first, even if they
are at the end of a book; I’ve even been known to read the Epilogue to certain
non-fiction works, including this one, which I think I am glad I did. In the Epilogue, Kevin indicates, in a
perhaps somewhat self-deprecating manner, that the trip didn’t illicit any
profound personal revelations, though am skeptical that such a trip could not
leave an indelible mark, even if it didn’t become apparent for years. The man who became known as original gonzo
journalist traveled throughout South America in the year leading up to Kennedy’s
assassination, a time that would become tremendously tumultuous for the United
States of America and leave it irrevocably changed. Thompson followed his whims through this
sometimes rural, sometimes violent continent, reporting back on countries many
had very little firsthand knowledge of.
As Kevin follows Thompson’s trail, many things, though not all, have
changed. Several places, such as Machu
Picchu have become routine tourist destinations while others are still largely
off the beaten tourist path. Each
chapter begins with an epigraph of Thompson’s work, either a report to the
newspaper or a personal letter, and sets the tone for Kevin’s travels and
observations. Kevin writing is
accessible, writing as if he is writing a letter to a friend back home,
reflecting not only on his experiences but Thompson’s and often his response
and reaction to what he is experiencing using Thompson’s writing and
observations to filter his own through. This
book will appeal to arm-chair travelers as well as those with a keen interest
in mid-century journalists and be a good introduction to Thompson and his work
to those unfamiliar with him, as well as a welcome addition to those who are
well-steeped in Thompson’s work. FTC
disclaimer: I received book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for
this review.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Author:
Jason Odell WilliamsStars:
3Review by: Miss LucyWhat does one
have to do to attain a life experience worthy of an Ivy-League college
winning essay? In this novel, several teens set out to battle the
effects of a hurricane in order to add such an
experience to their resumes.

Author:
Hank DunnStars:
4.5Review by: Miss LucyIf you ever
have to make an end-of-life decision for a loved one, or want to plan
your own end-of-life directives, this quick read has all the essentials.

Author:
Nora RobertsStars:
5Review by: Brenda714Suspense &
romance, a perfect Roberts pairing. Throw in some treasure from a ship
wreck, a murder, an attempted murder, and you have the recipe for a
great book.

Author:
Rebecca MakkaiStars:
5Review by: libraryaimeeSo good! A mystery about a house and its inhabitants told
in reverse order. Each chapter is a year in the history of the house:
1999, 1955, and 1929...and the Prologue is the last section. Well-told,
compelling, and intriguing...you may have
to re-read it to catch all the subtly revealed familial relations!

Author:
Marilyn Jayne LewisStars:
3Review by: SaraswatiThis romance
novel involves a writer for a celebrity magazine who is going through
an early mid-life crisis. She is given the offer of a lifetime from the
person who was her very first successful interview.
This gentleman is writing a book and needs a partner and he thinks of
her and how well things worked the first time they were together.
Needless to say their "hearts collide" and there is love in the air.
Easy summer read.

Author:
Edith Hahn BeerStars:
5Review by: Ann MEdith Hahn is
born to a middle class Jewish family in Austria. When the
Nazis move into Austria, Edith flees to Munich with false identity
papers. She marries Walter Vetter, a German that
becomes an officer.

Author:
Robyn CarrStars:
4Review by: Ann MStory of 4
women, their friendships and the relationships with their significant
others. Gerri is the strong one and has to determine her future after
discovering her husband had cheated on her.

Author:
Naoki HigashidaStars:
1Review by: Mrs. D.There are many
books about Autism and most are helpful. Not this one. My impression
is that this book was made as a coffee table book, so that you can have
it out to impress others. The translation
is stilted, and I have a hard time believing that it was written by a 13
year old. Not only is it unhelpful, but much of it is random and
pointless. So there.

Author:
Lynda BarryStars:
4Review by: Mrs. D.This is a
graphic novel, by a comic book writer who has been around a long time.
She writes about teenage-hood, and her ethnic background, very
realistic, not pretty. I can always relate to her down
and dirty view of her past. She ends up being inspiring in a realistic
sort of way.

Author:
Jennifer TraigStars:
2.5Review by: SandyI wanted to
love this book but, it was just a mish-mosh. I do admire the chutzpah
it takes for a young woman to survive mental illness and become a PhD in
Literature. (True story, my hand to G-d.) However,
the endless descriptions of cleansing and religious rituals left me a
little meshugge. Maybe, that was the point. Sorry, didn't mean to
kvetch!

Author:
Pete HamillStars:
4Review by: Bob ECollection of
essays by the finest sportswriters and literary figures about the
history of the subway series in New York, including the NY Yankees,
Brooklyn Dodgers, NY Giants, and NY Mets. Very enjoyable
but somewhat dated, published after the 2000 World Series between the
Yankees and the Mets.

Author:
G.W. BernardStars:
3Review by: JLAuthor
presents a unique and different point view regarding Anne Boleyn.
Unfortunately, it feels like the author is arguing against accepted
theories regarding her influence and fall purely for the sake
of arguing.

Author:
Alison WeirStars:
5Review by: JLReally interesting and insightful biography on the life of Elizabeth of York. Well researched. She
endured much tragedy from the death of her brothers, the two princes in
the tower, and loss of several children, but was beloved by her husband,
Henry VII, and her people.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Author: Audrey NiffeneggerStars: 5Review by: Miss Lucy
This quick-read graphic novel by the author of The Time Traveler's Wife is very different, yet familiar, at the same time, and will leave you thinking. It's a cross between The Night Circus, Doctor Who, and The Twilight Zone, with the central theme being books and reading. This book is perfect for all of the adult summer readers!

Author: Carol LeiferStars: 4Review by: Miss LucyDon’t judge this book by its cover, or, in this case, by its title – the book has nothing to do with terrorism. It’s a memoir, made up of a collection of essays from a comedienne who has just turned 50. But it’s totally NOT depressing. This woman is funny!!! She's learned things in life, from the practical ("Never complain about your age to someone older than you" (People do this to ME all the time!)) to the silly ("Tequila should always be sold with an instant camera attached to it so the next day you have some idea of what happened."). She also includes a chapter on advice to men ("If your girlfriend is quiet for a while, never ask her, 'What are you thinking?' I guarantee the answer won't be,'How attractive and unannoying you are' or 'The Mets are up seven to six.'")

I also really liked her chapter on how she ended up acquiring seven rescue dogs.

Author: Audrey NiffeneggerStars: 3Review by: Mary NKA woman finds a mysterious bookmobile full of all the books she ever read - and nothing else. She becomes so obsessed with the hope of working there that she kills herself to become like the mysterious librarian; only to learn that Night Bookmobiles are only for the living. I'm torn between the very novel & attractive concept of everything I ever read being saved, and the disturbing thought that excessive reading can lead to madness.

Author: Jeph Loeb, Tim Sale, & Christopher NolanStars: 5Review by: Mandy ApgarWhen members of the Falcone crime family get bumped off in various gloriously gory ways, Gotham detective James Gordon is forced to make an alliance with the new DA, Harvey Dent, and the Batman in an attempt to stop the murderer - dubbed "Holiday" by the press due to the acts being committed during times of celebration. Concerned that they cannot take the law far enough to stop someone so ruthless, Dent and Gordon give Batman privileged information so that he can be the muscle of the group and wallop info out of those he meets. Which is a problem, as he is already pretty busy handling the Joker - who, jealous of Holiday's press, is determined to re-establish himself as Gotham's top psycho. Consulting with the villain Calendar Man and dealing with several others along the way, Batman has to manage the murders and the monster they create when Harvey Dent becomes mentally unhinged and turns into Two Face as a indirect result of the crimes. Although Batman doesn't discover technically who the real killer was, they are revealed at the end. A collection of the monthly series where each holiday has a related character central to the story - April Fool's deals with the Riddler, St. Patrick's with Poison Ivy, etc. One of the greatest modern Batman stories, featuring lots of lesser known villains and set in his early years, its success was a direct inspiration not only for Nolan's Dark Knight films (and he writes the introduction to this edition as well), but the series of Arkham video games.

Author: Johannes WillmsStars: 1Review by: Mandy ApgarNote to writers - in order to do a travelogue it would really rather help to have a consistent point. Like "gee, this island is really great" or "God, this place is awful" as it avoids crap like this. A sort of guide to Napoleonic sites on St. Helena, the author has a real problem with tone - he cannot decide on whether or not he likes the place and often a rather acid bias shows through. Which is a shame as when he just writes for the sake of doing so he is pretty clear and consistent, just not where it matters.

One of the cartoonist's excellent graphic novels on Victorian and early 1900s crime stories. This one centers around one Evelyn Nesbit, a naive showgirl/singer who finds herself being courted by Stanford White, the man behind the Madison Square Garden building. Known for his penchant for young girls (and having a red velvet swing inside a private room) White professes innocent intentions, but after a party where Evelyn is slipped a drugged drink, she awakens to realize she was raped. Shamed and embarrassed, she keeps silent but finally confesses the act to her later husband. Mentally disturbed already, he shoots White in order to defend his wife's "honor" and is found not guilty by reason of insanity. As usual, Geary's line work is excellent - well modeled faces and great use of dark shadows. Not one of the best of the series, but still good.

Author: Ovidia YuStars: 3Review by: mystery loverI enjoyed it. It takes place in Singapore and this give the book a different feel than the usual cozy mystery that takes place/written in this country. It's nice not to see the same old format/outline in mysteries.

Author: Kate DiCamilloStars: 4Review by: BobbiBeautiful book. Kate DiCamillo's books seem to have many layers. It can be read as a children's story, but can also be read by adults who would appreciate the nuances and many deep meanings. And even within that, I find that things can be interpreted in several different ways. Very thought provoking and truly magical.

Sci-Fi, quick read, suspense. However, please note that this is book 1 of the series (I think there are 4 books in series). Book ends with a cliff-hanger so you need to grab book 2 right away. Don't get stuck at the beach without the second book and be left in suspense for the rest of your vacation!

Author: Harry HarrisonStars: 4Review by: Michelle D.This is the book that the science fiction movie Soylent Green is very loosely based on. It was written in 1966 and it is very interesting in how it talks about the overpopulation of America, specifically New York City. One scary way to look at our future if we don't consider our limited resources.

Author: Mitch AlbomStars: 3Review by: Michelle D.About a town where people are supposedly getting phone calls from deceased friends and family. I like this author's writing; makes me feel better. But the story is pretty simplistic.

Author: Sarah WatersStars: 2.5Review by: 1stYearInTheClubIt took me three weeks to finish this book. I put it down for an entire week, but finally decided to finish it. It gets better, but I should have just moved on to something I would have enjoyed more.

Author: Lynn ScherrStars: 5Review by: BstoskusA wonderfully written account of Sally Ride's life early years, her selection as the first American woman in space, her contributions to women and girls in Science careers (Sally Ride Science) and her 27 year relationship with her partner Tam. This book tells about the behind the scenes with NASA, women breaking into male dominated careers, and Sally's struggles with fame and her identity. A great read, very touching tribute as Lynn Scherr had a personal friendship and professional relationship with Sally.

Author: Donna TartStars: 4Review by: BstoskusInteresting story. Happy, sad, some mystery, and great details. The author could have used less description of drug abuse by the two young men who forged the friendship during the time in Nevada.

Author: Brendan I. KoernerStars: 5Review by: AutumnAn extremely engaging non-fiction read detailing the prevalence of hijackings during the 1960s, and one incident in particular that garnered international attention. This book is very informative about the history of airport security and the development of TSA.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Author:
Kate WhiteStars:
4Review by: SaraswatiThis book was brought to my attention by our Library Director
and it just came back when I came into the library. Just knew I had to
read it. This is a story about a TV co-host that is finally getting her
life back on track with both a book and a new TV show. Then strange,
threatening things start happening to her and all the blame is put on
her. Read how she fights back and has to question who can she trust
every step of the way. The entertainment business is great for this
type of thriller since it is so cutthroat anyway. This book caught me
by surprise.

Author:
Kate Hill, Denise A. Agnew, & Arianna HartStars:
3Review by: SaraswatiThis book is really 3 stories in one: His Sister's Kiss by Kate
Hill, Major Pleasure by Denise A. Agnew and Charming Anne by Arianna
Hart. I can't tell if they were stand alone at one time, but I feel they
were just put together for this military themed book. The funny part
is the "warning" on the first few pages that this book is rated
"S-ensuous." Meaning that there are a few explicit love scenes. I
checked the publication date and saw 2005 and thought pre-50 Shades days
so hence the warning and laughed.The stories are linked by a family starting with the parents and how
they met. Then they next story deals with their son and lastly their
daughter. There is a step daughter in the mix from the first story that
seems to be left hanging, maybe in 2015? The parents are brought
together by the loss of a brother and a fellow soldier. Things work out
well and the next story is about their son and what happens when he
comes home to recuperate. The last is about the daughter and how she
and a patient, patient at the hospital she works at, overcome a
terrorist take-over. This kind of reads like a Die Hard movie so
just enjoy. All three are easy, summer reads.

Author:
Melissa MacNeal, Susan Lyons, & Melissa RandallStars:
3Review by: SaraswatiThis book is really 3 stories in one: Unwrap Me by Susan
Lyons, Naughty Noelle by Melissa MacNeil and All She Craves for
Christmas by Melissa Randall. I can't tell if they were stand alone at
one time, but I feel they were just put together for this
holiday special. The Christmas theme is the only connection between the
stories.

In Unwrap Me - The main character hates Christmas because of the
many bad things that have happened to her during that time. Her
co-worker sends her brother-in-law over as a "secret Santa" present. At
first they are appalled, but decide that they should
at least hang out together. They soon develop a romantic relationship
and slowly he changes her mind about Christmas by using the themes from
the song the 12 days of Christmas.

Naughty Noelle is a funny, up-beat read about a newly divorced woman
and her widowed mom going on a Christmas holiday to the Outer Banks.
They are greeted by one of the rental's owners and soon all their
holiday dreams come true. It really wasn't that
easy, their is some light drama in the mix, but overall just a funny,
hopeful, read.

All She Craves For Christmas is about a woman that decides to leave
her modelling career in NYC and return home to New Hampshire to start
phase 2 of her life. She meets up with a boy from her past, now a man
and they hit it off. All three are easy, summer reads.

Author:
Foster, Denison, & GreenStars:
3Review by: SaraswatiThis book is
really three books in one: Tantalizing by Lori Foster, His Every
Fantasy by Janelle Denison and Playmates by Crystal Green. These appear
to be early written books republished as the writers
become more famous.

In any case, the books
are not part of a series, but more through the types of female
characters. Strong women trying to find their way. Tantalizing has a
woman coming into her own by trying to throw off her sister's blind date. Little did she know that the blind data cancelled
and the man in his place was just there to send the message. Magic at
first sight. His Every Fantasy is about a woman that is reflecting upon
her current love life when her companion
asks her to marry him, she just can't say yes. She goes on a
self-discovery weekend with a life-long friend. They discover they were
made for each other all along. Playmates is about a PR Consultant
trying to help her friend regroup using a new firm. Her
co-worker becomes a "frenemy" then lover as they both work to help their
clients regroup their lives. Nice, easy summer reads.

Author:
Lori FosterStars:
3Review by: SaraswatiThis book is
really two books in one: Treat Her Right and Mr. November. The books
are connected as part of a series about a set of male friends and their
love lives. All three men work in some sort
of paramilitary positions. The first deals with the Paramedic and his
new neighbor. Of course she isn't right for him or his family, but guess
what....SHE IS! The second book is about the Firefighter and the PR
person that wants him to pose for the fund-raising
calender. She has issues and he feels the need to rescue her and so he
does. Nice, easy summer reads.

Author:
Trisha Telep (ed.)Stars:
3Review by: SaraswatiThis is a book of 17 paranormal romance short stories
edited by Telep. I was interested in this book because it contained
some of my more favored authors such as Damsgaard, Hauf, and Adrian but
like most short stories I felt, well, shorted. There
is so little time to bring the story to fruition that most endings did
feel rushed. However, it is summer and these are a bunch of easy,
mostly fun, reads.

Author:
Elizabeth GiffordStars:
2Review by: BookDancerAll the
elements of a great summer beach read - a Scottish island, mermaids and
selkies, mysterious double plot - never quite came together. Could have
been better.

Author:
Jessica BeckStars:
4Review by: BusyMomGood whodunit
in the Donut Shop Mystery series - who killed the local radio host?
There were plenty of people who didn't like him! This was my first book
of the series, and I'll probably revisit. Even
more tempting are all the donut recipes to try out!

Author:
Tarquin HallStars:
4Review by: iambetsywThis is a very
funny mystery book set in current day India. Our detective sets out to
solve the mystery surrounding a kidnapping of a young man who is
involved in a relationship with a woman who is of
a different caste. Her father has kept her away from the love of her
life and the love commandos come up with a plan to reunite the lovers,
but the plan goes awry. Lots of twists and turns and memorable
characters. I listened to the audio version and found it
very enjoyable. A good, light summer read for mystery fans!

Author:
Leana WenStars:
4Review by: Mary NKExplains
specific questions to ask when doctors want to run "routine" exploratory
tests or prescribe drugs "to see if this will work". A plan for
patients to take control of their own bodies & health.

Friday, August 15, 2014

Author:
Maya BanksStars:
3Review by: SaraswatiThis is book 3
of the Surrender Trilogy and the one you knew was next. This series is
in the Shades category, but much lighter and older characters. Not as
good as the others and just read slower.

Author:
Ruth ReichlStars:
2Review by: lazI wanted to
like this book. An interesting story of a young woman's letter writing
with James Beard and the young woman who discovers the letters, but
incredibly slow moving.

Author:
Dr. Demian Dressler, DVMStars:
5Review by: BobjamMy dog has
cancer. Many dogs are becoming afflicted with this disease. Treatment is
very expensive so those owners with pet insurance have an advantage. I
want to fight to save my dog from a rare form
of cancer, neuro-endocrine, so rare only 5% of dogs get this type.I know
this is not your typical light summer read, but if it can help any other
dog lovers then I feel I accomplished a way to help a beloved pet and
comfort a distraught dog owner. The book is
very clearly written. Many chapters are stand alone so you can easily
find those that help you the most. Although I do wish the index was more
extensive. Also be aware that Dr. Dressler has a vested interest in
some of the products he promotes, such as Apocaps
and K-9 Immunity tablets. However I must say I have been supplying both
to my pet and found improvement. Please consider educating yourself with
a book like this one on this topic should you receive such a diagnosis
for your dog. Try not to give up, take a
deep

breath and find a
way to keep your dog still enjoying life while fighting cancer. It is a
difficult situation, but I continue fighting for my dog today although I
received the devastating news last March. I
look at it this way, whatever we learn fighting human cancer can be
applied to our pets, so whatever we learn fighting pet cancer will
eventually help people! That is my positive spin as I cherish each day
with my precious dog, Shelby.

Author:
Adriana TrigianiStars:
4Review by: JambobIf you are of
Italian descent you must read this author....if not read her anyway! She
writes so clearly that all her characters come alive in your mind and
heart. This one is about immigrants who come
to America because they want to work hard, love this country, make a
better life for themselves and send some money back home to help the
family. How refreshing! Of course she chooses Italian immigrants
reflecting her own heritage. The time period is late 1800s
to 1930s from the mountains of Northern Italy to New York when Caruso
was singing at the Met to the Iron Range of Minnesota. Make yourself a cappuccino, have a biscotti and enjoy this book! Do not worry that some
of her books are trilogies...each story stands
alone and can even be read out of order.

Author:
Nancy CocoStars:
3Review by: JambobA cute
confection of a new cozy series. A 120 year old hotel on Mackinac is the
scene of several murders involving some rare vintage wine. Allie is
trying to open her hotel and make some spectacular fudge
before the tourist season opens. The author includes fudge recipes which
I already made...delicious. This is the third book I read this summer
based on Mackinac Island....all 3 were very different genres: Love Finds
You was a Christian romance and the Tale
of Halcyon Crane a ghost story. Now I am convinced as a Somewhere In
Time fan, I must visit this island!

Author:
M.C. BeatonStars:
4Review by: BusyMomThis was my
first Agatha Raisin mystery. Enjoyable just like the Hamesh McBeth
series, but I haven't got the depth of the characters yet. Agatha
Raisin runs a private detective business and investigates
the death of her new client - who tells her she's about to be killed.
Lots of family twists. An enjoyable read.

Author:
Suzanne CollinsStars:
5Review by: BusyMomGreat
conclusion to The Hunger Games trilogy. Not all ends were tied up the
way I expected, which made for good twists. So glad this series is out
there to interest kids. I started it so I could talk
to my daughter about it- and I got sucked right in.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Author:
Andy WeirStars:
5Review by: ToneLocA thoroughly
entertaining book that is more technology thriller than pure science
fiction given its near future time frame and use of the science and
engineering being developed by NASA for the proposed
Mars missions.

The protagonist of
this novel is NASA astronaut Mark Watney, a botanist and mechanical
engineer, who is left stranded on Mars when the crew of the Ares 3
mission is forced to evacuate due to a dust storm with
high winds. Watney is impaled by an antenna during the evacuation,
destroying his EVA suit's bio-monitor computer, and his five crewmates
believe him to be dead. His injury proves relatively minor, but with no
way to contact Earth, Watney must rely on his scientific
and technical skills to survive. He begins a log of his experiences for
some future archeologist who might discover it long after his death.
NASA discovers that Watney is alive when satellite images of the landing
site show evidence of his activities; they
begin working on ways to rescue him.

Watney's inner
dialogue is witty and realistic, and moves the story along. The
conflicts within the NASA team on Earth rings true to crisis management
in a large technical organization.

The Martian will satisfy both the Sci-Fi geek and the general reader alike.

Author: M.C. BeatonStars:
4Review by: BusyMomI'd forgotten
how much I enjoy the Hamish McBeth mysteries - and this one was no
exception. When the host of a new reality "expose-all" type show is
discovered dead in Hamish's parish, we learn all
kinds of secrets the villagers might prefer to keep under wraps.

Author:
Juliette FayStars:
4Review by: BookDancerDiscovering
Juliette Fay has been my summer treat. She writes about family life
with warmth and humor. Her characters are real and likeable; her
dialogue is pitch-perfect. Uplifting and hopeful story
without being sappy. Have to read more!

Author:
Peter HandringsStars:
3Review by: Bob ESome arguments
were interesting, such as Christy Mathewson and Tom Seaver being the
best New York pitchers, with Whitey Ford third. But no one cares about
Barry Bonds or Alex Rodriguez anymore because
of steroids. Bashes Wellington Mara, Derek Jeter, and Jimmy Connors
with facts. It will make you think.

Author:
Hew StrachanStars:
3Review by: Mandy ApgarIt was good for this - presenting the origins of the War in
a clear and understandable way. Plenty of photos and the like, it is a
new edition of an 80th anniversary book done prior. Where it faltered
was not really explaining who everyone was
all the time. Once things got pretty in deep, it was one name after
another and not as much back story as earlier in the book.

Author:
Jack Davis, Al Feldstein, & Gary GrothStars:
5Review by: Mandy DavisI freaking loved this! It's a collection of the more
famous Tales from the Crypt stories illustrated by the famous J Davis.
Wonderfully written, with excellent pencils,
the tales cover everything from revenge of an unseen ghost upon the
tormentor of its young protector, werewolves, vampire cab drivers, to
the origin of the Crypt Keeper.

Author:
Barry StraussStars:
1Review by: Mandy ApgarNot at all a new history, just a boring old book that
endlessly talks about how creamy and white Helen of Troy's skin was.
Rehashes all the stories, all the tales, without any of the "new" one
would expect from the title and with even less personality
or academic respect.

Author:
Patti Sutch & Lisa DirthStars:
2Review by: Mandy ApgarNot a book per se but more of a text, a study guide for
those planning to achieve professional geologist (PG) certification. The
good news is that it covers an awful lot of topics and many say it
helps them focus their minds on what to study for
the actual tests. The bad is that I have no idea how much of this is
true and for the cost the authors should've made a lot less errors. I've
found plenty of mistakes in chapters whose subjects I am most familiar
with and many of them were basic high school
earth science level errors. But people studying these might not know
that! For example, there are about 5 or 6 questions on paleontology on
the test, which is a lot - seems pretty obscure, doesn't it? Something
most people (other than your friendly anal retentive
reviewer) know little about? Mistakes on every page in the section, and
one page had 8 errors of various kinds. Wish that it would've been more
well edited and I caution any buyers to have a geologic dictionary anda basic text as well to check all terms and the major points.

Author:
Steve ParkerStars:
5Review by: Mandy ApgarGood, very good. Another quality book from DK, the
publishers of Eyewitness books. Told with clarity and purpose with
plenty of photos to accompany, it is basically an adult level (but
easily readable and understandable) account of the history
of medicine and medical practice going all up to today. Very well done
and presented neatly, no exaggeration of facts, and also respectful to
the founders of medicine and those that made advances along the way -
although I wished more would've been devoted
to battlefield medicine other sections being so full sort of made up for
it.

Author:
Paul SchneiderStars:
4Review by: Mandy ApgarNice. An easily readable account of the Mississippi River
in North American history - its beginnings, nice sections on its
wildlife, the natives who depend on it, local border towns, the
steamship era, etc. all told with respect and clarity. Too
many sections to mention here, but more or less everything was covered in
some way.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Usually I prefer the more obscure stories, and there are quite a
few in here. But what it does offer in spades are the more classic
tales, the most of any of the Fairy series, and although they aren't
told according to the general model all the time (Sleeping
Beauty was quite different for example) the effect was still charming.
For lack of a better word. The only small issue with it was all the
illustrations featured the characters in Middle Eastern clothing despite
many of the stories being French or German. Just
seemed out of place to show Beauty dressed up as the Genie from Disney's
Aladdin with a turban Marge Simpson would've been proud of instead of
wearing the attire of a French country girl.

Author:
Kieran DohertyStars:
1Review by: Mandy ApgarThe supposed focus is on
the restoration of the Jamestown Colony after his very near catastrophic
destruction in Virginia. Supposed. The problem
is that, interspersed with what little facts it offers, are fairy tales
presented as true and the author psychoanalyzing various historical
figures and then presenting what apparently was in their heads all along
as fact. That anyone can find out a lot of myths attributed to
Pocahontas are just that is beyond the grasp on this author. Apparently Pocahontas more or less did everything but found the darn colony herself, while
torn between her two great loves of Smith
and Rolfe, both of whom were practically superhuman themselves. The
worst parts of the book are the analyses presented as fact - where the
author basically goes "and x person knew in their hearts he was a good
man, and having loved him since x time did Y and Z" to conveniently fill in
gaps in the historical record.

Build a Better World

The 11th Annual Adult Summer Reading Club has come to a close.

The club's 157 members have read a total of 1,515 books!

Thank you, all, for your enthusiastic participation.

Quote to Inspire

"Fiction, imaginative work that is, is not dropped like a pebble upon the ground, as science may be; fiction is like a spider’s web, attached ever so lightly perhaps, but still attached to life at all four corners."~Virginia Woolf

11th Annual

To see a larger image of this graph, look through the member reviews. It will usually be posted on Friday afternoons.

How to Use this Blog:

To post a review for a book, please submit it via the "Finished a Book" link from the club's webpage: http://www.hclibrary.us/asrc.htm.

Because all posts & comments must be approved by the library, and because the librarians sometimes take summer vacations too, there will be a delay before you see your submission on the blog. Please be patient; your review will appear.